How To Make An Intro Easily

Animated video intros are an awesome way to brand your videos, and to create an image of professionalism, and consistency across all of your online content. It also brings brand recognition for your viewers. On the other hand, outro will encourage action with a CTA (for example, subscriptions on your website).
Making an intro for your video is therefore a key step in the creation process. Why should you do this? Simply because the intro, which should only last a few seconds, should immediately create a sense of identification with your audience. Short length, but a lot of information.

And hopefully, from now on, you can use an intro maker, a video editor with customisable templates, and you do not have to be a developer or a video expert to use it and make a basic animated intro video. Here are the basics about video intro.

Why do you need an intro for your videos?

The intro is a crucial moment in any video content. As we said earlier, it’s the first few seconds of your content, what people will see first if your video is scrolling through their news feed on social channels.

The intro fulfills several roles:
– to identify you thanks to your graphic charter, your visual codes (your logo, your animations, your colours, your text font…),
-Then, to bring dynamism to your video, thanks to a music selected by you,
– and above all, to attract the viewers’ attention, by immediately showing what you are going to talk about, by indicating the main information very quickly. For example, if it is a teaser for an event, your intro will start with a notion of urgency, imminence, indicating the date, place and name of the event.

The intro says what you are going to talk about. It indicates the major subject of your video, the main subject, from which secondary subjects will follow (logistical aspects, how to get there, how to reach you…).
All these codes will differentiate you from your competitors, especially if the products or services you sell are broadly similar. It is your tone, your jingle, that will make you more attractive, more appealing to the audience.

What makes a good video intro? What are the different steps of an intro?

Step 1: your hook: it can be a story, a metaphor, a shocking statistic, a question…or a combination of those things. This tagline will immediately put your audience in the picture!

Step 2: transition to topic. It bridges the gap between your hook and what you are going to talk about. For example “You might be wondering what video has to do with internal training”, “You might be wondering how you can introduce your employees with video”, “We tell you that story because…”, “This anecdote illustrates…”, “This data illustrates…” etc…

Step 3: self-intro and preview. If you are new or are taking into account that many people do not know you (or your brand), it is important to introduce yourself quickly. Remember to give the most relevant information (about yourself), the most related to the subject of your video.

Step 4: audience benefit. From the very beginning of your video clips, viewers should know what’s in it for them. What will be the benefit of the video? Be specific!

Take a look at the intro to this video: you will quickly find the four steps we listed above!

How long should an intro video be?

The flow, the time elapsed will be different if it is a person speaking, or if your intro only includes animation with text. In the example video we posted above, you can see that a relevant intro can last between 20 and 30 seconds, for a 3-4 minute video.

On the other hand, if it is a snack content video for your social networks, the maximum recommended length is generally between 1 and 2 minutes (even if the trend is towards 30 seconds). In this case, it is recommended not to make an intro longer than a few seconds, starting directly with the teaser, which would be displayed as text.

The intro to your videos should be the first phase to work on in your storyboard

Any video creation, even before capturing and editing, must go through the storyboard. This document will be your roadmap throughout the production.
The storyboard is like a comic strip: each box corresponds to a scene. In each box, you will be able to draw the characters and put them on stage. Then, under each box, you can write down all the necessary elements: the setting, the position of the characters, the camera angle, the music, the dialogue, the questions/answers, etc…

And the intro is the first scene, the one in which you will set the scene. So don’t forget any element: the intro template, the jingle, the title of your video, or the teaser if you decide to start with it.

Do not start from absolute scratch: with an intro maker software, you can choose a template you will be able to customise for your videos

To make your own corporate videos, and thus manage your own intro, you don’t need to call on video professionals, agencies that are often very expensive. With an online video editor, you can take control of your video creation and start a new project.

Then you will be asked to choose a graphic style for your video. You will then have the choice between several customisable templates, already saved on the tool.

Once you have been through the category “Choose a graphic style”, you will be able to edit the one you would have chosen.

• Insert title (70 letters max)
• Insert secondary title (70 letters max)
• Write an introduction text
• Choose a playback speed: very slow, slightly slower, slow, slightly faster, fast, very fast
• Import an image (your logo for example, or other photos)
• Choose fonts and colors.

And if you ever want to return to the original template, click on “Reset”, just below.

What about you? Would you like to have the ability to use an intro creator, a user-friendly interface, to make your own professional intros? Your own video clips with copyright ownership? Would you like to use a tool to integrate in your videos your own templates, watermark, text, animation and other features? We offer a software available for many users, but you will also be able to download our app to edit your video project. To become regular video creators, to produce many contents each month, ask for a demo of the Pitchy solution!